Isabel - Beginning of a Martial Art Career

Isabel has been taking the Karate Kicker class since August. She loves it. We just got her an uniform and here she is making her moves on Daddy. Enjoy

I am 30 weeks Today!

Wow, 9 more weeks and 1 day to go before my scheduled C. Will she come early? Am I ready? Well, my body is ready to not be so heavy. I have gained around 27 pound so far - on track but it feels heavier than that this week. A little trouble sleeping and some back pain. Thank goodness for my cardio, yoga, and weekly adjustment from Dr. Pete, I still feel pretty good :-)

According to Baby Center, the baby is about 3 pounds already and 15-16 inches long - a skinny little one right now. She is pretty active and does a lot of kicking and punching. I started playing games with her as I can find a little bump as I rub my stomach. I think it's her knee or foot and I would push on it and she would push back. It's fun :-)

Isabel is starting to ask me when she will come out. I told her Xmas. She is really excited and when I asked her if it's okay to share her toys. She said yes without hesitation. I think she will be a great big sister. She will also run to me at time and kiss my tummy to say hi to her. It's so nice that I feel like they are bonding already.

As I know my baby in my tummy can hear voices now, I feel like I am reading to both of them when I play with Isabel. At night, when I tell her stories in the dark as she falls asleep, I know my other daughter is listening as well. What an experience to grow a baby. I can't wait to meet her in December.

- Lei

Our road trip to monterey this past weekend

We had a three day two night trip to SJ and Monterey.  Isabel had a great time.  here was the highlights

• Happy Hollow in SJ - Isabel love feeding the goats and trying all the kiddie rides including a rollercoaster, train ride, carousel, frog hopper, car merry go around etc...  + a huge slide structure.  It was almost 90 degrees so mama sat in air-conditioned cafe for awhile.  
• Dinner at White Shallot with old friends - Joel and Pia and their two boys - Vietnamese French food near Santana row with none of the craziness or arrogant service.  A really good meal
• Monterey Bay Aquarium - Isabel was fascinated with the big fish, sharks, and baby otters.  We got passes from friends so got in for free - yeepy.
• Stayed at Embassy Suites near Monterey - nice hotel, large room, lots to do in the hotel
• SandBar and Grill - one of the best dinner we had in awhile.  a great surprise - see pics of food below  - it's a room built on top of the water by the pier. I would give it a 5 star on yelp if I did reviews
• Dennis the menace playground - see video - huge playground - free - Isabel had so much fun with slides, swings, etc...

Happy Hollow feeding the goats


Brushing the goats


Dennis the Menace playground in Monterey


Lei

Isabel's Munchkin Run - July 30, 2011

Isabel did the Munchkin run on July 30th with two of her friends - Ayza and Ellie. They only ran the 100 yard which was super short. I think they could have easily ran the 0.5 mile or even 1 mile. next time.

Thank you to all the sponsors: grandparents Lapena; grandparents Han; ninong Em; Ajantha, and Judy.

I am 26 weeks

went to my OB yesterday. officially gained 21 pounds and baby is kicking every day. I took my dreaded Glucose test - the one where you drank 1 big bottle of sweet drink and then take a blood test an hour later to screen for gestational diabetes.

When I was preggie with Isabel, I took this test and failed and had to take the 3 hours test - really yucky - a sweet drink every hour and blood test every hour and fasting the night before. I passed it but wasn't pleasant.

This time I just wanted to pass the first test. Well, just got the result. I PASSED!!! YEEEEPY. very happy.

Lei

Isabel learns months of the year

Isabel speaks and learns so fast now. Here she is singing the months of the year song with and without book. She is also 39.5 inches tall - grew an whole inch in one month.





- Lei

Isabel can read letters

She can read most letters but gets tripped up by lower case vs upper case and have some trouble with b vs p vs d vs q.



Lei

Pop in Playtime at Pump it UP

This is an indoor play area with all inflatable structures. It was more fun than we expected for everyone - not just Isabel.







Lei

New Classes for Isabel

After a great run at myGym, we decided to change it up a bit so Isabel can experience different things.  So starting September, she is signed up for three classes.  here is her schedule for a week

• Monday - morning Library story time (free); afternoon - free time for playdates
• Tuesday - school and then playdates with Ayza if she is available
• Wed - morning free time; afternoon Karate Kicker class 3-4pm
• Thursday - school and then playdates if we can arrange it with anyone
• Friday - morning free time; afternoon Busy Bees dance class 3:30-4:30pm
• Sat - morning farmers market; then Swim Class at 10:50am for 30 min 
• Sunday - free time 

Hope she likes them.  

Lei

Planned C on Dec 15th

I saw my OB on friday and everything is on track

• gained 16 pounds so far
• baby is kicking often
• baby heart beat is strong at 140 per minute

She advised me to plan my C section early to get the time I want. C section are allow up to 1 week before due date. I am due Dec 21, so the C is scheduled for Dec 15 at 10am. I need to fast the night before and get there by 8am that day. I figure it's an easy date to remember. I actually wanted Dec 18 as 8 is good luck and it's my brother in law Roy's birthday but it's on a Sunday and my OB doesn't work that day, so Dec 15 it is.

I will plan to celebrate her bday the weekend after Thanksgiving every year so she doesn't miss out on separate xmas presents. all is good and I can't wait to meet my little girl in December.

Lei

Isabel's date with Ronen

Ronen and family came over for dinner on Sunday night. We had lots of fun as they appreciate food and especially loved the shaved ice we had for dessert + my specialty Saketinis (infused with lychee, coconut or mangosteen).

We had great conversations. Rain took these photos on their Ipad for Ronen and Isabel. The Ipad 2 seem very cool and we are almost convinced to get one when Ipad 3 comes out. Isabel loved playing with their Ipad - the educational feature + access to HBO go makes it a portable TV which really excited Jaime. Well we will see. More gadgets....

No woman is an island

I am learning that even more of this concept during pregnancy. The hormone side effects are making me obsess even more about things. I have daymares at time (imagine worst case scenarios while awake) and nightmares. Don't worry, it's under control and normal during pregnancy - just sucks when they happen.

Well, that's where my girlfriends come in. I am blessed with wise good friends who answer my calls early in the morning and late at night. And they know just what to say to me so that I see the absurdness of my own thoughts.

I was just obsessing too much this weekend and my girlfriends gave me the best advice

- don't replay what happened over and over and look into why and whose fault it is. any sadness, anger or fear is not productive

- focus should be shit happens and accept them as they are today. They are okay and I am okay. No need to change anything over night. You can't so don't try to do the impossible. Just be okay with bumps

- just try to stay calm and find my happy place. Start a Gratitude journal and share it

- figure out practical action to resolve anything in conflict over time.

- focus on the now and future. Even if things takes awhile to resolve, that's okay it's life and it's good news that I uncovered something that can be improved.
- people (espeically men) need positive feedback more than negative ones if you want to see change.

It was so what I needed to hear to realize my energy was wasted on things that doesn't help and keeping me from being calm or rested. A wave of calm is filling me now making me communicate gently and with compassion for myself and others. I woke up smiling today and so thankful for the incredible friends that I have in my life.

Lei

playdate with Alex in Foster City

This is also from July. Alex used to live by us but moved to Foster City in 2010. We were visiting him and his new sister Erica. Alex is 6 months younger than Isabel

Date with Gavin - July 2011

Gavin and Isabel love to play together. They were born only 10 days apart and Gavin is such a big boy now - so sweet and protective of Isabel. We had a playdate at the Zeum in July

Regular Friday Playdate

I am so glad I started this playground 2 years ago when Isabel was only 1 years old. Now, she has regular friends to play with nearby. We usually have Friday afternoon gathering 2 or 3 times a months. Here are some photos from one of them. Her friends are Ronan, Darwin, Ronen, Ayza, Ellie, Sophia, Newton, Jack, Emily, Thomas...